Overview
A gripping tale of addiction and redemption set against the vibrant backdrop of Rio de Janeiro.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- energetic
- darkly comic
- grounded
- crime film night
- Brazilian cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
João Guilherme Estrella's rise as a drug dealer, imprisonment, psychiatric treatment, and later career as a music producer form the film's biographical arc.
João begins as a middle-class man in Rio de Janeiro and becomes a dealer through personal connections rather than organized deprivation.
João spends his earnings on addiction, parties, travel, and clients instead of building a structured criminal network.
The story follows João from prison and judicial asylum treatment to his return to society and successful musical production career.
Films like My Name Ain't Johnny, and why
City of God
shared true-crime drama, charismatic antihero, drug culture, and complicated path toward reintegration
The Basketball Diaries
shared crime drama, addiction, social descent, and morally conflicted central character
Blow
shared biographical crime narrative, drug trafficking, nightlife, and charismatic criminal protagonist
Elite Squad
shared Brazilian setting, criminal milieu, social realism, and emotionally grounded character drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Mauro Lima
- Release Date
- 2008-01-04
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (284)
Cast
- Selton Mello
- Cleo
- Júlia Lemmertz
- Cássia Kis
- Eva Todor
- André De Biase
- Giulio Lopes
- Felipe Severo
- Gillray Coutinho
- Arthur Lopes
Common questions
- What is My Name Ain't Johnny about?
- A charismatic middle-class Rio bon vivant spirals from recreational drug use into chaotic dealing before fighting his way back to a productive life.
- What is My Name Ain't Johnny like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of My Name Ain't Johnny as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is My Name Ain't Johnny violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in My Name Ain't Johnny as mild.
- Which films are like My Name Ain't Johnny?
- Films with a similar feel include City of God, The Basketball Diaries, Blow, and Elite Squad.
- How long is My Name Ain't Johnny?
- My Name Ain't Johnny runs 124 minutes.
